Rules regarding non-members

[Guest KRISTY]

I am President of an organization. Our fiscal year is August 31-September 1 and it is stated in our by-laws that a person is considered a member only if they have paid their dues for the year.

A person has NOT paid her dues for our current fiscal year, which makes her a non-member. She does not participate in our full membership meetings, and has informed several other members that she has quit the organization. She has written a letter that she wants to be read aloud at our next board meeting, as well as to the entire membership. As president, do I have the "right" to be able to decline this request, since she is not a member of our organization?

Another option was to read it aloud to the board, then have the board vote as to whether it should be read to the entire membership.

Thanks for your advice and direction.

[Trina]

Even a member can't demand that her letter be read aloud at a meeting. There is no such right of membership.

Whether the assembly wants to hear such a letter is for the assembly to decide.

Why would the board have authority to decide that a letter should be read aloud at a general membership meeting? Again, that is for the assembly (general membership in that case) to decide.

[Gary Novosielski]

I am President of an organization. Our fiscal year is August 31-September 1 and it is stated in our by-laws that a person is considered a member only if they have paid their dues for the year.

Actually that's not a year, that's a one-day period.

[Guest Edgar]

Actually that's not a year, that's a one-day period.

"Is it time for our annual meeting already? It seems like only yesterday . . . "